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Tournament of Roses Float Decorating: The most flowery 'n famous procession in all the land is very much tied to New Year's Day, but locals know that the prep revs up days in advance. (Well, let's be honest: Months in advance, what with the court selection and such.) Sunday, Dec. 27 is the day when the placing of all of those petals and buds and leaves and pods and seeds begins at both the commercial builders and among those floats described as "self-built." Want to lend a hand or see if you can spy some of the most intricate handiwork around? The locations are numerous as are the dates: Dec. 27 through Dec. 31, 2015.

Winter Fest and CHILL: Just because the yuletide will start to pack up the ornaments in a matter of a few days does not mean the icicle-laden larks of the season are ready to bid Southern California adieu. Winter Fest at the OC Fair & Event Center keeps the scarf and mittens on through Sunday, Jan. 3 — look for ice skating, carnival rides, hot drinks and more — while CHILL at the Queen Mary glides right through the first third of January. Seen the ice sculptures under the big dome yet? Christmas magic is still all around.

Big-Screen Christmas Classics: Christmas Day is a Friday this year, the traditional day for movie releases, but on Friday, Dec. 25 some of the films shown around town will not be of the newest sort. Let's call them cherished classics, or chestnuts even. If you need some Jimmy Stewart with your nog — and, honestly, who doesn't? -- Cinefamily on Fairfax has "It's a Wonderful Life" while, nearby, The New Beverly is going full Marx Brothers. Could you do both pathos and pranks? Feels like a fine holiday combo to us.

Grinchmas: The Grinch has so much grinch-a-tude to him that containing it all on Christmas isn't even a real possibility. What must be done, then, is to extend his annual green-tastic party through to the Sunday after New Year's Day, as Universal Studios Hollywood is doing. It's Grinchmas we speak of, of course, the Seuss-iest soiree ever to swan into Universal City. Songs, stories, Max, and a whole bundle of Whos'll be in the house and on the back lot. Better rev up the sleigh and don your faux Santa hat at once.

Weekend Walks: Much is made of how hectic the holidays are, and those making much of the topic have a point: The traffic, the travel, the everything piled onto everything can make us all as frayed as a broken string of lights. Some nature time is obviously the powerful remedy, and while Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge is closed on Dec. 25, it will reopen on Dec. 26. If you need to breathe deeply and learn about some trees and flowers and such, join a Weekend Walk on Saturday or Sunday. That'll shake the frayed feeling, or at least make a start.